


Rise of the Princess

by Shipper101



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Blood must have Blood, F/F, Revenge, SAVE CLEXA, WTF 2x15
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-17 00:08:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3507776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shipper101/pseuds/Shipper101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Lexa's betrayal, Clarke wants to free her people. When she can't do that, she wants revenge. When she can't do that, she wants a new home. But, most of all, she just wants Lexa. </p><p>Sorry about the writing style- I can't do dialogue very well</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kaboom

Clarke wept. She couldn’t do anything. Her people were trapped inside mount weather, her friend had abandoned her. She couldn’t do anything to save them. Drying her eyes, she began to think. She had the layout of mount weather in her head, and now she resolved to put it to good use. Taking Raven’s satchel, with the bombs inside it, as well as the walkie-talkies, she began to patch them together. She had watched raven do it enough. After she had done six, she put the other four walkie-talkies in her rucksack with the bombs. She heard voices from along the corridor, coming towards her. Pulling out her pistol, she moved into the ventilation shaft, replacing the grate just in time.   
Working her way along the ventilation system, she moved down into the lower levels. She could hear the hum of machinery, before she finally saw what she was looking for. Moving over to the generator, she placed one of her homemade bombs. She then proceeded to place them next to the other generators and the remaining two next to the major fuel tanks. Now, she needed the next part of her plan. Going back into the ventilation system, she headed to the nursery. Breaking in, she pointed the gun at the teacher, and then locked the door. Turning on the computer, she spoke into her walkie-talkie.  
“Cage!”  
Downstairs, the entire room heard her shout. Bellamy looked up, while the others just breathed sighs of relief.   
Cage, meanwhile, just put his walkie-talkie up to his ear.  
“Hello Clarke”  
“Release my People.”  
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”  
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll convince you. I have eleven of your people here, all children, and guess what; I have twelve bullets. So you will release my people, or I will kill them all.”  
“I don’t think you’ll do that Clarke.” Cage said, his voice now lower.   
“Try me. I’ve just been betrayed by someone I thought I could trust beyond reproach, and my world is falling apart around me. So, once again, try me. You release my people, or your entire nursery will become a charnel house.”  
“LET THEM GO. THEY ARE CHILDREN!” Cage shouted into his walkie-talkie. The Arker’s eyes widened.   
Calming down, Cage spoke more quietly into the walkie-talkie.  
“Eleven people are not worth the future of all of my people. But, tell you what. You can have eleven of your people.”  
Clarke closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she licked her lips and spoke.  
“Fine. Give your walkie-talkie to my mother. She’ll make the decision. She is chancellor after all.”  
Cage smiled  
“A wise choice.”  
Clarke spat.  
Cage walked over and handed the walkie-talkie to Abby.  
“Your daughter wants to speak with you.”  
“Clarke!”  
“Mom. You heard the conversation?”  
“Some of it. Are you holding children?”  
“Yes. I made a deal. It’s what everyone seems to be doing nowadays. Eleven of you can leave. I need you to choose. I don’t know who is already dead, or who will most likely die.”  
“What? Why do I have to make this decision?”  
“You are the chancellor. Octavia is up here, so Bellamy had better be a quick choice.”  
“Fine. First choice, Bellamy.”  
Cage nodded to the guards, and they cut Bellamy free.  
“Next choice, Kane.”  
Kane looked at her, wide eyed.  
“No. I’m staying.” He said  
“No, you’re not.” Came the reply.  
With that, the guard cut him free, and forced him into the elevator. Slowly, Abby made the rest of her choices. As they gathered in the Elevator, Maya ran over and kissed Jasper, who Abby had chosen. Jasper looked at her, sadly. Then, Abby spoke up again.  
“Give Maya an injection. It’s clear she wants to go with them. Let her.”  
Cage smirked, and was about to refuse, when Dante walked over and injected her on the arm, and then pushed her into the elevator. Cage looked, furious, at Dante, who just looked him straight in the eye. ”Go, kids. Give Clarke my respects.”  
With that, the twelve chosen children were hidden behind the doors of the elevator, and it began to slowly rise up.   
Clarke was waiting for them at the top, with Octavia. She was fiddling with a walkie-talkie, but straightened up to look at them when they emerged from the elevator. Octavia and Bellamy hugged each other immediately, while the others thanked Clarke. Directing them towards the exit, only Kane stayed behind.  
Clarke looked at him.  
“What?”  
“Would you really have killed those kids?”  
“Today, still am.”  
With that, she pressed the button on the walkie-talkie. Ten floors below them, the bombs exploded. The generators went, and the fuel tanks erupted into pillars of flame, shaking the entire mountain to its roots. The elevator collapsed, and the floors cracked and fell onto each other. Kane was looking at Clarke. A thin smile played at his lips.  
“You killed them all. Why?”  
“It saved your people pain, and I promised that all of the Mountain Men would die.”  
“Your mother was down there!”  
“This way, her death is quick. Otherwise, they would have harvested her slowly. She would have been in agony. The Mountain Men have no right to exist. So, I ensured it came to pass.”  
“You killed your people. Fifty of them. You just slaughtered them with a single press of a button.”  
“They weren’t my people anymore. I have no people.”  
“You are blaming yourself for how this turned out.”  
“No, I’m not. I blame Lexa. But her punishment must be more severe than death. Take the rest of your people and Octavia to Camp Jaha. I’m going to deal with the Forest Tribe.”


	2. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six Months Later

Lexa was troubled. Dozens of her warriors had fallen to the attacks of Reapers. At first, she had thought that the Mountain Men had gone back on her deal, but then some scouts reported that the Mountain had been all but destroyed. She had felt a fain burst of hope. Clarke had obviously finished the fight. If she had achieved this, she had been well worth her time. Then Lexa felt fear. If Clarke had been able to dismantle the mountain, there was little chance for her tribe should Clarke decide to avenge her betrayal. But this still didn’t explain the Reapers. After no less than forty of her warriors had fallen to Reapers, she decided it was time to move to their secondary camp. It was half way along that all of her suspicions were realised. Thousands of Grounder warriors appeared, aiming bows directly at Lexa’s column. The Commander of the other Grounders stood out in front of Lexa’s column. Lexa recognised her immediately. This was the man who had tortured Costia to death. She felt a sudden burst of emotion, before beating it down.   
“Surrender.”  
That was all the other commander said. No terms, just Surrender. Lexa looked around. The chances for her column were not good. The others had a height and numbers advantage, and had obviously prepared for this for months.  
“We surrender.”  
Two of the Grounder warriors moved forwards, binding Lexa, before dragging her away. The rest of the Column slowly followed suit. They were then dragged towards their secondary camp. To Lexa’s, horror, just outside the camp stood hundreds of Reapers, seemingly surrounding the camp. They parted to let the captive column through. The entire tribe was pushed to its knees in the centre of the camp. Indra knelt next to Lexa. The other Commander looked at her.   
“I remember your girlfriend. You deserve everything that she did. But, unfortunately for me, someone else has already made the decision of what happens to you. Come out!”  
With that, Lexa looked around desperately. She then caught her breath in fear as Clarke walked out from behind the tent. She was flanked by two reapers, and her hair was braided up . All together, combined with her garb, it made her look terrifying. Lexa could hear Intra catching her breath as well. Clarke just smiled a the expressions of the two women. Looking at the commander, he nodded. She walked over to Lincoln, and pulled him up to his feet. He looked surprised, but not frightened, and she led him away to the edge of the camp. Turning around, she walked over, and grabbed Lexa. Pulling her over to next to Lincoln, she cut his bindings, and forced Lexa back down to her knees. Indra spat at her. Leaving Lexa, Clarke walked over and punched Indra furiously in the chest. Indra coughed, and keeled over. Nodding to the Commander, he gestured to his warriors. The pulled up all of her tribesmen and brought them before Lexa.  
“Your choice commander” Clarke whispered in her ear. “Who lives and who dies? Half die. Half live. Simple as that. You make the choice.”  
“How can you expect me to make that choice? I can’t just choose half my tribe!”  
“What’s wrong, oh fearless leader? Does this choice intimidate you? Now you will know what you did to me. I had to choose who of my people survived, who of my friends. I Had to choose which eleven of my fifty people were worth most o me, and then I buried the rest of my people with the mountain men underneath their won shelters. So you don’t ever tell me you can’t make this choice. Just think with your head, not your heart. That’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”  
Lexa felt a sudden chill run through her as she realised what this was all about.  
“You want revenge!”  
“Well done, commander Lexa. Now, make your choice. Who lives, who dies?”  
And Lexa chose. She began to feel hollow as, one by one, she consigned her people to death. Eventually, the last one was dragged away by the warriors of the Water tribe. Holding them, the warriors drew their daggers across her people’s throats in a welter of bright blood. The other members of the Tribe were weeping, as they watched their friends and family being butchered. Clarke stood next to her, her expression impassive. When the bloodletting was done, Lexa felt tears rolling down her face. Clarke looked down and saw them causing her warpaint to run. She grimaced.   
“Not so heartless now, are we. Lets go.”  
With that, she grabbed Lexa’s bindings and dragged her away, with the reapers closing ranks behind them.  
When they got out of line of sight of the camp, the reapers disappeared, and Lexa was alone with Clarke. Lashing out, Lexa caught Clarke in the leg. Clarke went down, but pulled Lexa down with her. Twisting sideways, Clarke pulled Lexa onto the ground next to her, landing hard. With the breath knocked out of her, Lexa struggled feebly against her bindings. Clarke just pulled herself a short distance away, sitting on a rock. Looking intently at Lexa, she tutted softly.  
“What did you hope to achieve by that, other than making yourself feel better? If you had managed to get me down, what would you have done next? You’re injured and exhausted, as well as emotionally drained. I’m in perfect health and have just recovered from emotional trauma. Even if you had beaten me, my Reapers would have torn you to pieces. As it is, I don’t want to kill you. In fact, if you had just waited a little, I was going to do… this.” She said as she walked over to Lexa and cut her bindings. Lexa looked down in shock.  
Recovering, she leapt to her feet and threw herself at Clarke, who easily sidestepped and elbowed Lexa in the back.  
“Stop it. You cannot achieve anything by attacking me. Besides, I just saved your people.”


	3. A new Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke begins to make a new life. Lexa is confused

Lexa rounded on her, a look of icy humour on her face.  
“You just got half of my people killed! How did you save my people, exactly?”  
“If it hadn’t have been for me, only one in ten of your people would still be alive. After Costia, your attacks cost them a lot. They wanted revenge. In return for limiting their blood loss, I saved your tribe. And now, I’m going to give you the region on a silver platter.”  
Lexa looked at Clarke, astonished.  
“And how would you do that? My tribe doesn’t have the numbers to fight them, and none of them would for you.”  
Clarke chuckled  
“I don’t need numbers. I brought down Mount Weather alone. I will do the same for the Ocean Tribe.” Picking up her bag, she fished around inside, before pulling out a walkie-talkie.  
“Want to know something about flour and wheat. They burn very well. So, if I was to, say make a bomb within their containers, it would be quite lethal to any looters. Indra should be free by now, and my reapers are waiting.”  
“What do you mean?”  
Clarke rolled her eyes  
“You really do miss everything don’t you. I gave Indra a knife when I punched her. I planted bombs in the flour and wheat cellars in your new camp. My reapers left to ambush any survivors. I don’t hate your tribe, for following your orders, and I don’t hate you, for leading with your head over your heart. However, what you forced me to do was inexcusable. Blood must have blood.”  
Lexa’s eyes widened again. Clarke burst into laughter at the sight.   
“Well, maybe a demonstration would be better. So when I do this…” She said, pressing the button on the walkie-talkie. A few seconds later, two enormous balloons of flame appeared over the treeline, accompanied by the sounds of hundreds of screams.  
“…that should happen.” Clarke finished, looking at the sight. The chorus of screams was joined by the war cries of hundreds of Reapers.   
“We’d better get back.” Clarke said, grabbing Lexa’s hand. Lexa let herself be dragged along.  
When they arrived next to the village, it was a scene of unbridled carnage. Dead and dying Ocean Tribe warriors lay all around, screaming, while reapers threw themselves at the remaining fighters. They could see Indra, working away at the bindings of the other Forest tribe warriors. An Ocean Tribesman came up behind her, only to be leapt upon by a reaper. She spared him a short glance, as he leapt off in search of other foes, before returning to her work. Clarke and Lexa began working their way down the incline to the camp. Lexa tried to pick up a sword, only to be stopped by Clarke.  
“Not here, not now.”  
Lexa glared at her, but seeing the carnage she had caused, Lexa though it best not the point.   
“Sky Princess!” the Ocean Tribe commander called out. Clarke turned to look at him. He was bearing down on them with a sword in each hand. “I will gut you like I did your predecessor.”  
Lexa snarled, but before she could do anything Clarke took out her pistol and shot the commander dead in the chest. His eyes widened, and he stumbled, before being tacked to the ground by reapers. Putting her gun back in the holster, Clarke handed Lexa a knife, before drawing a sword from the sheath on her back.  
“Get you people free.”  
With that, Clarke disappeared into the melee, moving fluidly through the brawl, slashing left and right. Tribesman after Tribesman fell to the methodical strikes from her blade, as she simply waded into the fight. Lexa fought her eyes away, and set to work with the knife in the bindings of her warriors. It was clear that the reapers were slowly losing the fight. The initial surprise had abated, and now the Ocean warriors were gathering together, using their superior numbers against them, driving them away. The reapers had made a huge impact, but not enough. They needed help. By the time the last of her warriors were free, only a hundred and fifty or so reapers were still alive. Lexa bellowed her warcry, and it was taken up by her warriors. They charge the Ocean Tribesmen. Lexa could see Clarke fighting five of the Ocean warriors. She was holding her own, but she still needed help.  
The Ocean Tribesmen turned just in time to meet the charging Forest Tribesmen. Feeling the balance changing again, the Reapers redoubled their attack. Lexa caught a glimpse of Clarke decapitating a warrior. She had improved greatly as a warrior, to the degree that Lexa feared that even in the best of health she would be beyond her. Lexa felt herself flush, as long buried emotions surged to the surface. Concentrating, she repressed them, launching herself back into the fray.   
When the fight ended, it was as unexpected as when it began. The remaining Ocean Tribe warriors fell to their knees. Lexa roared and lunged forwards, only to be grabbed. Twisting, she saw Clarke, holding her back. Snarling, she lashed out, only for Clarke to release her, so her strike flew over her head, threatening only the air. The last few reapers gathered around Clarke, but she waved them off.  
“Enough blood has been spilt today. These warriors will join the Forest Tribe. You need the reinforcements.”  
Lexa glared up at Clarke. Then, she saw Indra. She was walking over to Clarke. The reapers parted for her .   
“Why should we follow you? You butchered us. You had half of our tribe murdered. You forced the Commander to choose.”  
Clarke just turned and replied, simply;  
“Think of how many would have died to defeat the Ocean Tribe without my input. It wouldn’t have been possible. Your clan would have been wiped out. But I do not accept your judgement. Only your commander is fit to judge me.”  
With that, she gestured to the remaining reapers. They dispersed, and she held out her wrists. Indra looked at her, confused.  
“Bind them, if it will make you feel better.”  
Indra grasped them and began to wind a stretch of wire around them. Clarke just stood impassive. Lexa picked herself up.  
“Return to Camp. Bring the Sky Princess with us. I will judge her there.”


	4. The Ritual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's sort of like induction- but with lots of knives, scars and blood

The journey back took three hours. It was getting dark when they arrived. The entire tribe was sombre. The new warriors from the Ocean tribe had brought the Tribe back up to strength, but there was a clear feeling of emptiness. When they arrived, Clarke was strung up between two posts, while Lexa summoned Indra and her other generals to her tent.  
“You must kill her. She killed five hundred of our people today. She cannot be allowed to survive this outrage.”  
“All that she has said is true. Her actions today cost us much, but earned us much. The Ocean Tribe was the only force that could resist us in this region. Thanks to her actions, they no longer exist as a threat.”  
“Blood must have blood. She murdered five hundred, She must suffer.”  
“NO. This whole affair was caused by Mount Weather. My decision forced her to wipe out her own people. Our losses today were due to her demanding Blood for Blood. The Ocean Tribe was going to attack regardless, and they would have wiped us out entirely. It is thanks to her decisions that we survive.”  
“How do you know this?”  
“She told me, in the forest. She doesn’t wish for our tribe to suffer- just me. That is why I still stand before you. She wanted to force me to choose, and then to have to live with my decision. I respect that- I respect her. She is one of the most talented and dangerous people I have ever met. We would be well served bringing her to us.”  
“May I speak” Spoke Indra. The rest of the generals turned to her. Lexa nodded.  
“My current second has a spine of wire. The one before that has no stomach for fighting. Octavia alone has had all of the qualities I desire in a second. If I could, and she accepted, I would accept her back as my second in an instant. I disagreed with your decision to abandon the Sky people in the Mountain, but I am your general. I follow your orders. She disobeyed, because she loved her brother. Because of that, I lost the best second I ever had. I watched Clarke today. Had she been born a grounder, she would be greatest of us all. Do not waste the opportunity to bring her to us- beware what should happen should we drive her away.”  
The generals began to mutter, but it was clear that Indra’s speech carried weight. Lexa nodded to her.  
“She must still be punished.” The general who had spoken earlier spoke up again.  
“I agree. She will too. And the Tribe must see severe punishment. I will put her through the ritual of blades. Should she survive, she will become my second. Do we agree?”  
Some of the generals grumbled, but they all begrudgingly accepted.  
The ritual of blades is a brutal grounder ritual involving the engraving of a clan marking or symbol into the flesh of an individual with the use of a hot blade. The ritual takes place over two weeks. The forest tribe uses the symbol of the leaf. Normally, one would not expect the participant to survive. Lexa had a good feeling about Clarke. The blonde would be too stubborn to go out like this.  
And so the ritual began. And on, and on, and on, it dragged. Clarke was silent almost the entire way through, aside from the occasional whimper of pain. Lexa watched the whole thing. Occasionally one of her warriors would bring Clarke water, and every day they fed her with some bread, but besides that Clarke just hung there, her face impassive, as the symbol was slowly carved onto her back.  
Finally, the ritual came to a close. Lexa drew her knife and cut Clarke down from the scaffold, before helping her to walk into Lexa’s tent. Laying her down on a bed, she summoned Nyko, who immediately got to work with a bowl of sea water and a sponge. Clarke faded into unconsciousness.  
When she awoke, Lexa was sitting on her throne, on the opposite side of the room. Sitting up, Clarke saw that Lexa was asleep. As she tried to rise however, she felt an agonising pain in her back. Hissing, she slumped back down. The sudden expulsion of breath caught Lexa’s attention, and she rose from her throne and came over to Clarke’s bed. Putting a hand on her shoulder, she pushed the blonde back down into her bed. Clarke grabbed her wrist.  
“Why did you keep me alive? Why are you helping me now?”  
Lexa just looked at her, sadly.  
“You know why.”  
Clarke froze. Lexa caught herself. She hadn’t meant to make herself known in that way.  
“You are my second now. My generals agreed upon it.”  
Clarke gave a ghost of a smile. Lexa reprimanded herself. Clarke would have seen through her lie no matter how well told- this was just pathetic.  
“Won’t your people object? I did have half of them killed after all.”  
“The ritual has washed away your sins. Your blood is purified.”  
“Excellent.”  
And with that, Clarke leaned up from her bed, grabbed Lexa’s head, and pulled her into a deep kiss. At first Lexa resisted. Then, realising her folly, she just gave in. Clarke pulled them both down onto the bed.


	5. The Princess Rises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa is captured. Clarke rises to command.

Two years later

Clarke had felt like this before. It had been almost three years ago. Not since her people had been trapped within the mountain had she felt such crushing hopelessness. Lexa was gone. She had been kidnapped by the Ocean tribe. They wanted their people back. Two years after she had caused the almost total destruction of their tribe, they had struck out for revenge against the woman she loved. In return for Lexa’s release, they wanted her. She was to surrender. She was to disband the reapers, have them put to death, and then hand herself over to them. Then they wanted all of their people back from their earlier defeat. Further, they wanted an equal number of the Forest tribe to surrender along with them. Hearing this, Clarke had had their eyes put out, and their hands removed, before having one of her reapers escort them back to their village with a message, and a Walkie-Talkie.

She was waiting for contact even now. The reaper had had fifteen hours to make the ten hour journey. She doubted that the reaper would make it out, but there would be more than enough opportunity to make another one from any captives. He rise to control over the reapers had been the one part of her history she had refused to share with anyone. Not even Lexa. Of course, this had given it an almost mythical status, as the Grounders couldn’t understand the miracles of addictive control. The truth was much simpler. She had found vast amounts of the drug in Mount Weather, shortly before she blew it to hell. She had found one of the Grounders within the mountain still, lost and confused. She had been the first to escape, and had searched tirelessly for Bellamy, who she had recognised when he had returned to free her. When Clarke found her, she was traumatised from her experience- she couldn’t speak. Their initial contact had been fraught with foreseeable difficulties, but ultimately, Clarke made herself understood. Afterwards, she had taken the Grounder into her plans. After Clarke brought the mountain down, the Grounder had all but knelt before her. Now, Clarke turned to her, and gave her a few, direct orders. 

“Gather the Reapers. Instruct them to assemble in the secondary camp. They are to wait for the war horn.”

The Grounder, who Clarke knew as Speechless, had been Clarke’s one confidante- after all, there was little that a mute could give away. Speechless was Clarke’s intermediary with the Reapers, giving them Clarke’s orders and distributing the drug when the Reapers had completed their tasks. As such, Speechless often went about clad in reaper garb, allowing her to blend in.  
Now, Clarke needed the Reapers. At the same time, however, she began to mass the Grounder clans at her command, now that Lexa was gone. As Lexa’s second, Clarke had been responsible for much of the day to day organisation of the Tribe, so many of the Clans answered her call. Their troops were often loyal to her personally, beyond even their own commanders. She had led them time and time again, leading them in action after action, clearing out the woodland, trapping and killing the dangerous animals. The Tribe had never suffered from hunger while she had been in control- regular hunting parties were organised, and enough was always brought in to satisfy. So now, hundreds of warriors answered her call. Further, she had a reputation growing within the Tribe. She was known as the girl that slew the mountain, the Blademarked, and a dozen other nicknames. But the one that was becoming more and more common was her old name. The Grounders had started calling her the Princess. It had started in jest at first, but as her repute grew she was often called it to differentiate her from the Commander. This reputation was now a weapon in its own right, drawing yet more warriors to her banner.

Two days later, her forces had gathered. An army of Grounders, three thousand strong, was gathered around the crater of TonDC. Marching out, she led them through the forest, across streams and rivers. However, then she arrived at the Ocean Tribe camp. Her scouts had scoured the woods. The Reapers had joined her force along the way, nearly five hundred strong. The Ocean Tribe had made camp on a beach, just away from the treeline. It was clear that the commander was inexperienced. However, it was also clear that they were vengeful. Her reaper was visible, on the outside of the encampment, impaled. In the centre of their camp, however, was Lexa. He was bloodied, and tied to a great wooden stake, but Clarke could tell by her occasional movements that her lover was still alive. Drawing her army up in a great hemisphere around the camp, she was careful to hide its movements. 

It was now that she took up the walkie-talkie.

“Attention, people of the Ocean Tribe. You know me. You know why I am here. What you probably do not know is that I have three and a half thousand warriors surrounding you- including five hundred reapers. Your warriors are far away, safe at home in my camp. You do not have the strength to fight us. Call me when you have received this message.”

And then she waited.

Half an hour later, the reply came. A young male voice drawled out over the microphone.  
“You will not attack. We have your commander. Any sign of aggression and we kill her. We want our warriors. We do indeed know you, Clarke of the Sky People, mountain slayer. And we know of your relationship to the commander. We know of your control over the reapers. You have nothing with which to threaten us.”

Hearing this, Clarke began to laugh. She just laughed, and laughed. Her generals looked at her, confused. Only a couple, the few she had been with for years, understood what this meant.

“You have nothing. Nothing at all. You cannot kill Lexa, or your entire camp will burn. You played your hand without thinking it through. You thought that I would not attack. But there is something you do not understand. If you kill her, I will not kill you. No. I will take your clan, your warriors, your children, your women. And I will make them reapers. And then, you will watch, as they tear your elderly, and your wounded, and your children, apart in front of your eyes. You cannot fight me off. So, now; you will surrender, and turn over Lexa unharmed, and only you and your generals will die. A general’s first duty is to his people. Lexa taught me that. She taught me that the day she betrayed me and left my people to die. That day she forced my hand, and doomed over two thousand people to their deaths. So tell me. Is the past worth your annihilation? You have five hours.”

With that, Clarke pressed the button on the walkie-talkie, cutting the transmission. The generals looked at her. Then, they started to smile. Indra was the first to speak up. 

“Well spoken, Princess.”

A thin smile hit Clarke’s lips.


	6. The Princess claims her throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa does something unexpected, then realizes the error of her ways.

Clarke waited for the five hours. The sunlight burned into her as she sat in the midst of the camp. The Grounders kept their distance. The generals had informed them of her speech. So now they waited, with eager anticipation, for the reply.   
In the end, it was less of a brave reply, and more of a pathetic whimper. The Commander sent a troupe of women, pulling Lexa with them. She was bloodied and bruised, but clearly alive. The women were shaking with fear however. Kneeling before Clarke, they delivered the response.   
“We return your commander, but we will never bend our knee to you.”  
And with that, the women rose. For a few seconds, Clarke simply sat upon Lexa’s throne. Then, she made up her mind. Gesturing, two warriors strode into the group, and carried Lexa away to the healer’s tent. The women were getting very worked up now. So Clarke spoke, in a slow, deliberate, quiet voice.  
“That was not the deal.”  
Rising from her throne, she nodded to her warriors. They grabbed the women, and dragged them into the centre of the camp. Clarke walked out after them. Stopping, the warriors forced the women to their knees before Clarke.  
“I gave your commander a deal. If he fights, his men will become reapers, his womenfolk their food. If he surrenders, he and his generals will fall. You have not chosen either. You returned Lexa, but refuse to surrender. So, what am I to do? He expects nothing to come of this outrage. He kidnapped our commander, the love of my life, and he expects that, because he returned her, mostly alive, that I will do nothing. You…”  
She said, pointing at one of the women.   
“…you will take my message back to your commander. He will surrender, or he shall watch it as his tribe devours itself. I will give you until Lexa walks again.”  
Flicking her wrist, the warrior holding her cut her loose. Clarke looked at her, askance. She was young and beautiful, but horribly marred by a mighty scar along her face. Nodding to her, she started to cry, before being pushed out of camp by the warriors.   
Turning back to the other women, she smiled. There was actual warmth in this smile, although tinged with foreboding.  
“Lexa will decide what happens to you.”   
The other women started to cry.  
Clarke returned to her tent. Sitting upon Lexa’s throne, she pondered her next move.  
Her plan was forming in her mind. All she needed was to have the one final piece fall into place. So now, she started to put it into play. Launching attack after attack, night after night, the watchmen were captured first- their posts were too close to the treeline. After the Commander realised this, he pulled his camp further down the beach. Now, however, a new wrench was thrown into the works.  
Lexa  
She woke up on the second day, and was moving around by the third. At first, Clarke was simply away, directing a morning attack. When she returned however, she discovered Lexa upon her throne.   
Clarke smiled. Lexa loved to play her games. Kneeling before the throne, Lexa looked down at her. Her face was stony.  
“What are you doing?”  
Clarke frowned.   
“I was rescuing you. Now, I am just taking victory.”  
“You should not have come for me. It is a waste of warriors.”  
“Not one warrior has died yet. We are about to destroy the only threat left in the region.”  
“Not our warriors. Theirs. You have all but destroyed their tribe. Blood has had blood.”  
With that, she turned to the warrior at the door.  
“Give the order to begin to pack. We’re leaving.”  
The warrior didn’t move. Instead he just stood there. Lexa frowned.  
“What is wrong with you? Give the order. Now.”  
The guard just stood there, still, looking at Clarke. Clarke shook her head.  
“I’m sorry Lexa, but this insult to our tribe will not go unpunished. I ordered them to surrender. They have not done so. Now, they burn.”  
With that, Lexa strode forwards and punched Clarke across the face. Immediately, the three warriors at the base of the throne strode forwards, drawing their blades. Lexa’s eyes widened, and she took a few steps back. Clarke waved them down. She was seething. Rising up, she took small, deliberate steps towards Lexa, spitting out syllable after syllable.  
“There’s something you don’t quite understand Lexa. The army is here. The tribe will be destroyed. They have forfeited their independence when they kidnapped you, and their lives when they refused to surrender. You have no more right to save them than any of your warriors.”  
By now, she had Lexa pressed up against her throne. Lexa was glaring at her, eye to eye.  
“I am the Commander. You are my second. You will do as I order!”  
“You may be the commander, but this army is mine.”  
With that, Clarke turned around, and strode across the tent. Indra burst in just before she could make it to the door.  
“Princess, the enemy has launched an attack. Our warriors have it handled. The ships are aflame, as you ordered.”  
“Indra, Clarke is a traitor to our people. Seize her and hold her until she can be judged.”  
Indra looked at Lexa, then at Clarke.   
“No.”  
Indra began walking towards Lexa.  
“Guards. Bind Lexa. After we have finished with the Ocean Tribe we can decide upon her fate.”  
With that, she turned around. Lexa lunged at the guards, but she had no weapons, while they were many times her size. She was pinned, and her hands tied. She was brought back up, spitting and swearing. As she was dragged past Indra, she shook herself free, and burst outside. The entire tribe was gathered, all three thousand warriors. Their blades were readied, and they were drawn up in ranks. Clarke stood on a rock before them, raising herself up to be visible to all of them. Startled, she looked around. Seeing Lexa, her eyes widened. Lexa charged forwards, clambering up the rock.  
“My people. This Sky person is trying to deceive you. I want none of this. This tribe is peaceful. They do not wish us any further ill. We can return to our lives. None of us need die today, at the wishes of a Sky person.”  
No one in the crowd moved. Clarke just smiled gently. Then, she stood forwards, and bellowed out.  
“The Forest Tribe Supreme.”   
Chanting it out, over and over again, the crowd slowly picked up the chant. Hammering their weapons against their armour, they bellowed out the cry, rising up and up into the daylight. Standing back, Clarke turned to look at Lexa.   
She was stunned.  
Clarke walked forwards. Lexa looked at her, shocked beyond words.  
“You may be the commander, but I am Princess.”   
With that, Lexa slowly fell to her knees. She was followed by the entire Forest Tribe. Soon, the cries of the Tribe had changed again. Now, it was simply an earth shattering praise to the Princess.


	7. The Forest Awakened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Forest Clan strikes

They slept together that night, writing and turning in each-others embrace. Lexa seemed happy, and held nothing back. Clarke was only too happy to oblige. When they had concluded their activities, they simply sat in their bed, holding each other close. Lexa smiled. For once it was an actual warm smile, not featuring even a hint of foreboding or fear. It concerned Clarke.  
“Lexa. Why are you smiling? It’s terrifying.”  
This only made Lexa’s smile wider.  
“For all my life, I have been the Commander first, Lexa second. I have had to put duty before love, the many before myself. Now, I can be Lexa first. I can do anything. I can be anyone. I’m free. You freed me. I love you so much.”  
With that, Lexa snuffled Clarke’s neck. Clarke was overcome by her words. Touching Lexa’s chin, she pulled her face up, she smiled. Then she crushed her lips into Lexa’s.  
When Lexa woke up the following morning, Clarke was already dressed next to her. Her long skirted tunic swept behind her, and as she turned away, Lexa saw her back. The tunic had its back cut out, exposing the leaf shaped lattice of scars carved into her flesh. Clarke’s hair was braided up, and she had warpaint on her face. Pulling herself up, out of bed, Lexa walked over to join her. Clarke felt her approaching, and started to turn. Lexa caught her shoulder however, and began to trace out the scars with her finger. Clarke smiled at the floor, before turning around fully.   
“I am going to the healer’s tent. I want you to meet me at the gate of the camp. I will join you there in fifteen minutes.”  
Lexa knew very well what she was going to do. It had become something of her trademark after the battle with the Ocean Tribe. Clarke’s hands had been dark red with dried blood. It had earned her the respect and fear of all present, and a reputation that she was not want to forego. So it was that before any battle, Clarke would stain her hands red with blood. Normally it was from the execution of prisoners. Now, however, that was wasteful, so now she simply used blood from victims in the healer’s tent. Nodding to Clarke’s order, Lexa walked over to the entrance of the camp. It felt strange to be taking orders, rather than giving them, for once. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. It was both liberating and frightening- she had lost control of her own destiny.   
Lexa saw the Reaper’s commander, a strong but wiry girl, who had become Clarke’s second in command. Lexa wasn’t sure where she stood with the girl now. Walking over to her, the girl saw her approach. She waved the reapers surrounding her away, before walking over to Lexa. One of the Tribal warriors moved over to Lexa.  
“She doesn’t talk. She doesn’t sleep. She doesn’t eat. She takes orders only from Clarke. Do not bait her, Commander.”  
The silent girl arrived before Lexa. The warrior hissed and pulled away. It was clear that the girl had the fear of her warriors. The girl stayed true to her description, and merely stared into Lexa’s eyes. Lexa stared back. They stood there, just staring at each other. Around them, the warriors gathered. A smile cracked the girl’s lips. Her eyes never broke contact. The tension was becoming palpable. It built and built.   
Finally, the girl looked down. When she looked up again, the smile was all across her face. Then, she lowered herself to her knee before Lexa. The gathered warriors all breathed out a sigh of relief. Lexa did the same. Reaching down, Lexa grabbed the girl’s arm, and hauled her to her feet. The girl looked surprised, and crouched, only to seemingly realise that the gesture was friendly, and stood up straight.  
“Well, it’s good to see you have gotten to know each other. Lexa, this is Speechless, commander of the Reapers. Speechless, this is Lexa, Commander of the Forest Tribe.”  
All of the warriors turned to see Clarke, flanked by almost two dozen warriors. Her hands were dripping with blood. All of the assembled warriors immediately fell to their knees. Lexa and Speechless followed suit. Clarke gestured, and the warriors started to rise again.   
“Bring the prisoners. We’re ending this. Speechless, bring the reapers along with us. Meet us outside the Ocean Camp in one hour.”  
Speechless bowed, and then disappeared into the forest. Clarke turned, and started walking. Lexa and Indra fell into step behind her, with the rest of the tribe following.   
They arrived outside the Ocean camp about ten minutes later. The stockade around the camp had been incinerated the previous night, along with the gates. The tribe simply marched into the camp. Many of the warriors were not even awake yet. Clarke’s scouts brought the watchmen into the centre of the camp, while her other warriors spread out, binding the rest of the Tribe. Indra brought the commander out. He was young, not much older than Clarke, he struggled furiously against Indra, but when he saw Clarke, he fell limp. His eyes played down her robe, to the blood on her hands. Clarke cocked her head, looking at him sideways. She raised her hand, before flicking her wrist. Her warriors dragged the rest of the Ocean Tribe into the centre of the camp, alongside the prisoners taken over the last few days. Clarke nodded to one of her huge bodyguards. He walked over to the commander’s tent, and pulled it down, throwing it to the side. Walking over, Clarke sat upon the throne. The Ocean tribe lowered their heads.   
The Princess had won.


	8. The Sky itself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the taming of the seas, the Princess seeks to bring the sky crashing down.

Clarke’s judgement was swift. If they bowed their heads, they would live, and would become part of the Forest Tribe. If they refused to do so, they would become reapers. All bowed. However, there was no such mercy for the commander and his generals. They were led to the treeline, and tied to the lowest branches. Clarke was to start it. Stepping close to the Commander, she drew her knife, and thrust it into his guts, over and over again. When she stopped, her fists were soaked red with his blood. Raising her knife, she bellowed out;  
“For Victory”  
The tribe bellowed with her, then for her. Clarke lowered her hand. Nodding to her warriors, they walked forwards, towards the bound generals, and slit their throats from ear to ear. The women and children of the Tribe looked away. The pain could be seen on their faces. They were then dragged into the Forest Tribe camp, where they were joined by the Reapers. Clarke climbed up the rock in the centre of the camp, with Lexa and Speechless flanking the rock on either side.  
“My people, the Oceans are tamed. The region is ours. The people are ours. Now, only a single threat remains. For years, the Sky People have been granted Forest Tribe land to call their own hunting territory, as a gift for their aid in the destruction of the mountain. As you well know, I descended from the Sky myself. But now, they are growing bold. They have pushed into our territory. They have grown in numbers and strength since the fall of the mountain. So now we return to TonDC. The Sky People are mighty, and will not be tamed. They have numbers, guns, troops. They have a mighty camp, with a barrier our warriors cannot pass. But I will not accept infringement into Forest Tribe territory. They will be brought to heel. For the Forest Tribe!”  
Her people joined in the call, while Lexa and Speechless looked up at Clarke, concerned. Clarke looked down and saw their eyes, saw their concern, and smiled. She knew why they were frightened. Speechless feared for Bellamy. He had freed her from the Mountain. All she desired was to see him again. Lexa feared the Sky people as she remembered just how much their weapons could accomplish. Clarke herself had been behind many of the deaths caused. Clarke had a different plan however.   
The trip back to TonDC took three days. The new attachments to the column, from the Ocean Tribe, were slow, unused to travelling through forests. Clarke and Lexa rode upon their horses, while Speechless led the Reapers on foot. The Forest Tribe warriors held no fears. They trusted their princess. Lexa was less sure however. During a halt to allow the Ocean Tribesmen to catch up again, Lexa rode up to Clarke.  
“We need to talk.”  
Clarke looked at her, and nodded. Waving her bodyguards away, she moved up beside Lexa.  
“How do you intend to fight the Sky People? As you said, they are stronger than ever before. And we couldn’t defeat you before. What has changed?”  
Clarke smiled at her.  
“Lexa, when did I ever say anything about defeating the Sky People? Should it come down to that, I could, but I do not intend to fight them. I intend to bring them into our tribe fully. They shall become another Clan. Nothing more. That is all I intend to do. I want to avoid fighting them if I can possibly avoid it- I have worked very hard to keep many of them alive, and I do not intend to undo that all now.”  
Lexa nodded. She understood. She could see why her warriors had faith in Clarke. Leaning over her horse, she pulled Clarke into a long, deep kiss. When she finally relaxed, Clarke sat back in her saddle. Smiling for a moment, she leaned forwards again.  
“I need you to go to Camp Jaha ahead of the rest of us. Inform them of our deal, and of my approach. Remember, they will not be feeling generous towards you, after your performance at Mount Weather. I need you to summon Bellamy, Octavia, Lincoln and Kane to TonDC. If there is another chancellor, invite them as well. Try not to annoy them too much.”  
Lexa grimaced. Clarke waved two guards over to her.  
“You two, go with her.”  
Lexa turned her horse, and with the two warriors flanking her, she set off towards the Sky People. They would kneel before their princess, or they would die.


End file.
